![]() You can also configure your home network to allow access externally from anywhere (depending on your comfort level for setting this up and exposing to the internet in general). ![]() With all of the above you’ll have mobile access, but only on your home wireless network. (I know, the exciting life of a homeowner!) For me this was one of the best use cases: while I’m out adjusting sprinklers I can remotely turn each zone on or off. Once you have the software configured, I recommend downloading one of the OpenSprinkler mobile apps so you can control everything from around the house (via Wi-Fi). If you attach a rain sensor, the OpenSprinkler can also operate in a smart weather mode where it decreases the amount of watering based on local rain or weather forecasts from Weather Underground. Features of the app include: Easy to understand device status Quick program modification Launch ad-hoc or defined programs instantly Manual mode for convenient testing. OpenSprinkler is an open-source Internet web-based sprinkler timer / controller built upon the Arduino platform. Programming the schedule is pretty straightforward as well. The application allows you to automatically detect and control your OpenSprinkler irrigation system(s). You can give your zones nice names like “front lawn” or “back roses” so you don’t have to remember zone numbers. Instead of fixed timers, these systems draw on data from sensors, weather forecasts and plant-care databases to determine watering needs and deliver just enough moisture at just the right time. The more interesting part is the software which is easy to set up from a web browser. Smart sprinklers and irrigation controllers can simplify home lawn and garden care, and reduce water consumption. My original 20+ year old Lawn Genie controller My new OpenSprinkler installed Software Here’s a comparison of the old Lawn Genie and the new OpenSprinkler: (The OpenSprinkler itself does not have Wi-Fi.) You’ll also need to connect to your home network with an Ethernet cable. All the cabling is compatible (assuming you have the standard 24 VAC controllers), so it’s just a matter of reconnecting everything to the OpenSprinkler. Replacing my old Lawn Genie controller with the OpenSprinkler controller was really simple. Getting certified is still on the to-do list according to this OpenSprinkler update from Feb 2015. There is also the possibility that if OpenSprinkler can get certified by the EPA WaterSense program, that rebates from water agencies could be possible (similar to low-flow toilets, energy-saving water heaters, etc.). OpenSprinkler started out as a hobby kit for makers and they still sell it a variety of ways, from kits to completed units. Rather than waiting around for Nest, I just bought and installed an OpenSprinkler. ![]() Especially here in California (where we are in a pretty serious drought), having better control over irrigation (not to mention the remote access) seems like the logical next step. OpenSprinkler is an open-source Internet web-based sprinkler timer / controller built upon the Arduino platform. Features of the app include: Easy to understand device status Quick program. At the time we talked a lot about the obvious next step of supporting home sprinkler/irrigation controls. OpenSprinkler is an open-source Internet web-based sprinkler timer / controller built upon the Arduino platform. My friend Jeff Cable was one of the early adopters of the Nest thermostat.
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